The present invention relates to the field of battery powered flashlights, and especially to flashlights suitable for use by emergency workers.
The information provided herein and references cited is intended solely to assist the understanding of the reader. None of the information provided or references cited is admitted to be prior art to the present invention.
A large number of different flashlight designs have been described with various configurations. Most flashlights have generally cylindrical hollow housings that contain one or more cylindrical batteries in a single row. When a plurality of batteries are used, the positive terminal of the battery most distal from the light source contact the negative terminal of the adjacent battery, continuing in this manner so that the positive terminal of the battery nearest the light bulb connects with the bulb. However, not all flashlights use the linear battery arrangement.
Monteleone et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,414 describes a flashlight with a gas permeable membrane and battery polarization. One of the flashlights described has a side-by-side battery configuration with 2 batteries in each row, and uses a connector plate with springs behind it at the rear of the flashlight to electrically connect the two rows of batteries.
Underwater Kinetics markets a flashlight (UK2AAA) that has two AAA batteries in a side-by-side configuration. A contact plate that pivots on a central lateral pin at the back of the flashlight provides contact between the batteries. A screw-on bezel causes the electrical circuit to be completed when the bezel is screwed onto the battery case.
Neyer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,022 describes a flashlight that has a center pivot mechanical connection between a plastic battery housing and a rotatable plastic turret, said to permit free rotation of the turret.
Lynch, U.S. Pat. No. 6,457,841 describes a flashlight that has a head that pivots between two arms that extend from the housing.
Alajajian, U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,610 describes a flashlight with a rotatable head. The flashlight includes a base that includes a power source, a neck removably attached to the base, and a head rotatably attached to the neck. An illustrated flashlight has a head that rotates about an inclined axis.
Gammache, U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,095 shows a flashlight in which a swivel head rotates about an inclined axis.
Kozar, U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,982 describes a flashlight with a swiveling head connected to the battery casing with a ball-and-socket joint.
Uke, U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,812 describes a waterproof flashlight that has two parallel adjacent rows of batteries.